Helmet



P 1 1952 LE GRAND DALY 2,610,322

HELMET 2 SHEETS -SHEET 1 Original Filed Feb. 5, 1943 1N VENTOR E; M 5 673mm 040 ATTORNEY Sept. 16, 1952 LE GRAND DALY 2,610,322

HELMET Original Filed Feb. 5, 1943 2 SHEETS-SHEET z ATTORNEY cut invention. The helmet construction herein illustrated and described is particularly suitable for air-raid warden duty; however, it will be understood that the present invention can also be embodied into helmets intended for other uses, such as for work in mines, quarries, building constructions, in farm work, and in various sports. It should also be understood that the term plastic as used herein includes various thermosetting and thermoplastic materials which may be used in connection with fabric or fabric reinforcements and molded by application of heat and pressure or pressure alone.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the helmet illustrated therein comprises generally a shell [0, having a crown II and a brim l2 merging smoothly into each other. To the shell I!) there is secured in any suitable way, such as with the aid of rivets [3, a head-contacting structure, generally indicated by the numeral l4. Said structure I4 is made of a plurality of interconnected straps and is adapted to support said shell on the wearers head without permitting the shell to contact the head of the wearer. An adjustable chin strap I5 is provided as shown in the drawings. The edges of the brim portion l2 may be provided with a trimming strip li.

Figure 3 illustrates a set of plastic treated pieces from which the shell I0 is molded, said pieces being shown flat, i. e., as they come out of the cutting dies and before they are assembled together on a form block into an approximate shape of the helmet, as shown in Figure 4. Said set comprises, first, two brim pieces 20 and 2| of a rounded configuration and having integral peripheral portions 20a and 2la, and a plurality of converging tongues or sectors 20b and 2lb, projecting inwardly from said portions 20a and 2m,

respectively, and made by slitting the material as illustrated.

The set further includes two crown pieces 25 and 26 also of a substantially rounded configuration and comprising central integral portions 25a and 26a and a plurality of diverging tongues 25b and 26b projecting outwardly from said portions 25a and 26a, respectively, and made by slitting the -material of the peripheral portions of the pieces as shown.

It is preferable to use two brim pieces and two crown pieces. However, under certain conditions using only one brim piece and one crown piece, or

more than two of each may be advantageous.

The set illustrated in Figure 3 includes further two dome reinforcing pieces both designated by the numeral 21, since they may be identical in size and shape. It is preferable to make them of square outline to prevent waste of material. A

single strip 28 of the length equal to length of the peripheral edge of the brim l2 may also be provided if it is desirable to have a trimmed edge -In assembling the pieces, the brim pieces are first put on the'block which has the shape of the helmet, the crown of the block bending the wedges 20b and 2H) upwardly. Thereupon one of the pieces 25 or 26 is placed on the form block, with its central portion arranged on the top of t block crown, and the tongues thereof are bent downwardly. andarrangedto overlap each other: The dome reinforcing: pieces 21 are then laid down on the top of the:

at their lower portions.

distribution of stresses in a helmet. Thereupon the second crown piece is laid on the dome-reinforcing pieces 21 arranged as explained, and its tongues are also bent downwardly. The pieces so assembled are loosely connected in any suitable manner to insure their remaining in place during transfer of the pre-form into the molding dies. It is preferable to effect such connecting by touching the pre-form in places with a hot soldering iron. If a trimming strip such, for instance, as one shown at 28 is provided, the same is bent longitudinally and is arranged around the edges of the brim; it may be temporarily held in place with the aid of clips 29 for more convenient handling.

It is desirable that seams formed at the places of juncture of tongues 202), Mb, 2512 and 26b do not register with each other but are staggered to produce a stronger construction. This may be achieved in several ways. For instance, the pieces 20 and 2!, as Well as pieces 25 and 26, may be slightly offset in the process of assembling the pre-form. Also, the number of tongues on a piece may be made odd and one of the identical pieces produced in the same die turned over before being superimposed on another piece.

Molding of the pre-form may be effected in a number of ways and apparatus. It is preferable to use the method and the apparatus described in detail in said co-pending application Serial No. 433,943. Briefly, such molding comprises subjecting a pre-form to forming pressure in a heated mold. The female part of the mold mas be made of a pressed sheet metal sample helmet, while the male part or punch thereof may be in the form of an expandable rubber member.

Figure 5 illustrates a helmet shell after the same is molded, the thickness of separate fabric layers being somewhat exaggerated for the sake of clarity. With the process and the apparatus as mentioned, the outside surface of the shell comes out very smooth and glossy, while the unevenness in the thickness of the shell is taken care of not by crushing the high spot but by permitting them to project somewhat from the inside surface of the shell.

After the molding operation, the supporting structure [4 and the chin strap ['5 are riveted to the shell. Thereupon the shell may be painted in a desired color. For air raid warden use, it is preferable to spray the shell with white enamel and to paint desired insignia thereon.

Due to the fact that the integral peripheral portions 29a and 21a of the brim pieces 20 and 2| are not distorted or bent in the process of forming and molding, trimming of the edges of the brim of the finished shell is not necessary, which is a great advantage in manufacturing. In fact, the provision of the trimming strip [6 may be dispensed with under certain conditions, and the edges of the brim be finished simply by sanding.

Due to the fact that tongues 20b and Zlb of the brim pieces are arranged on the inside surface of the shell and are bent toward the top the crown pieces are arranged on the outside surface of the shell and are bent away from the top of the crown, handling of the pre-form in molding is greatly facilitated, and the action of the die and punch members of the molding die operates to smoothen and to wipe down said tongues and to distribute them evenly in the shell, rather than to bend their tips or to form wrinkles near their roots. The above feature constitutes an important improvement.

Figure 6 shows a helmet substantially identical with that shown in Figures 1-5, but provided with a neck protecting apron 30. Said apron may be made of any suitable material, such as waterproof canvas or oil cloth and secured to the shell similarly or even in the same operation with the supporting structure M. The function of the apron is to protect the neck of the wearer from water, heat and sparks. It is preferable to make the apron 30 of such a size and outline that, if desired, it may be bent into the shell and so arranged therein and the helmet may be worn with said apron forming an additional protection to the wearers head.

By virtue of the above described improved helmet construction the above listed objects of the present invention, as well as numerous additional advantages, are attained.

I claim: a 1. A helmet molded from a plastic. treated substantially unstretchable flat materi'al, said helmet comprising a crownand a brim portion,

a brim piece moldably embedded into the helmet structure, said piece having a substantially round and continuous outer edge.

2. A helmet molded from a plurality of plastic impregnated pieces of substantially unstretchable fabric, said helmet having moldably embedded into its unitary structure at least one crown piece forming the helmet crown, and at least one substantially round brim piece having a radially slitted central portion overlapping said crown piece for a substantial distance and having a continuous outer edge.

LE GRAND DALY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,545,369 Tizley July '7, 1925 1,742,145 Kobbe Dec. 31, 1929 1,835,883 Lewis Dec. 8, 1931 1,938,660 Howard Dec. 12, 1933 2,423,076 Le Grand Daly July 1, 1947 

